Railway truck brake



c. F. FREDE RAILWAY TRUCK BRAKE Filed Jan. 18, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CHARLES F. FREDE ATT0RNEY Feb. 17, 1942. c, F, FREDE 2,273,634

R-AILWAY TRUCK BRAKE Filed Jan. 18, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: CHARLES E. F REDE ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 17, 1942. c. F. FREDE RAILWAY TRUCK BRAKE Filed Jan. 18, 1940 3 Sheets-Shet 3 I INVENTOR I CHA RLES E F REDE v ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 17,1942

'FUNITED :STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY TRUCK BRAKE Charles F. Frede, University City, Mo., assignor to General Steel Castings Corporation, Granite City, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application January 18, 1940, Serial No. 314,369

' 19 Claims. (01. 188-153) The invention relates to railwayrolling stock, and more particularly to the mounting of the brakes and brake actuating mechanism on railway'trucks.

It is customary to mount all or a substantial portion of the brake gear upon the truck frame, and with heavy equipment, requiring correspondingly heavy brake mechanism, the application of the brakes tends to tilt the truck frame and to produce vibrations which are transmitted to the vehicle body. Also the application of the brakes sets up undesirable vertical forces in the truck springs and wheels due to the relative vertical movement between these parts.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the tendency to tilt the truck frame and to produce vibrations and to'set up loads as described above.

It is a further object of the present invention to shorten the distance and reduce the number of parts between brake operating devices and the brakes, thereby increasing the rapidity and ef fectiveness of the brake operating mechanism and reducing the weight of the brake connections, f

Another object is toarrange for the movements of the brake gear vertically with the wheels and independently of vertical movements of the frame and bolster, which vary in accordance with the action of their supporting springs.

Reference is here made to another application filed the same date as this application and disclosing a different arrangement for attaining some of the objectives set forth above, Serial In the accompanying drawings illustrating the present invention, Figure 1 is a top view of one longitudinal half of a four-wheel truck with' a part of the truck frame broken away to, more clearly disclose the structure beneath.

Figure 2 is in part a side elevation and in part a longitudinal vertical section takenon the line 2--2 of Figure 1, but omitting the brake master cylinder.

verse sections taken on the corresponding sec tion lines of Figure 2.

, I Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detailed vertical trans- Figure 8 is a detail of the bottom connection tion taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Figures 10 and 11 correspond to Figures 6 and between the brakes shown in Figures 10 and 11,

Figure 13 is an end view of the combined cylinder and lever shown in Figures 10-12.

Figure 14 corresponds to Figure 12 but illustrates another form of theinvention.

Figure 15, is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 14 with associated truck frame and equalizer parts.

Figure 16 is a side elevation illustrating another form of the invention.

Figures 17 and 18 are detailed vertical transverse sections showing portions of the brake operating gear and are taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure '16 with the truck frame, equalizer and other associated parts omitted. p

Figure 19 illustrates another form of the cylinder mounting structure shown in Figure 17. H

Figure 20 illustrates another form of the cylinder and brake head suspension.

, Figure 21 is'a top view ofthe structure shown in Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a side of one end of the truck embodying another form of the invention.

The arrangement shown in Figures 1-5 ineludes wheels 2, axles l, journal boxes 6, equalizers,

wheels. Coil springs l2 on equalizers 8 support the. truck frame l4 which terminates short of the journal boxes in upright jaws l6 slidably receiving guides I! provided ,on the adjacent equalizer and journal box unit. The lateral mo- .tion bolster I8 is mounted onframe I4 by means of swinging links 20 which carry spring plank 22 and bolster springs 24 in the usual manner.

A hanger 26 is pivotally suspended at 21 from thequalizer extension in adjacent to the wheel and pivotally supports a brake head 28 provided with the usual brake shoe 29. A lever 30 is pivotally suspended from extension H1 at a point near the end of the truck and supports one end of a hydraulic cylinder 3| provided with a piston 32 having a. rod 33 pivotally connected to hanger 2'6 and to brake 28.

The cylinder and. piston unit 5 are actuated from a combined pneumatic and hydraulic master cylinder connected to the units by conduits 40. Cylinder 45 receives air under pressure through a pipe 4i leading from a reservoir (not shown) on the vehicle body and through its pistons and associated parts applies pressure on hydraulic fluid in conduits 40 and units 3|. The construction of master cylinder 45 and units 3| forms the subject matter of a separate application Serial No. 314,432" filed January 18, 1940, by the present applicant and Emil J. Schleicher.

A lever 34 is pivotally suspended at 35 from a bracket on the truck frame I4 and carries a brake head 33 having the usual shoe 31. The lower ends of levers 30 and 3d are connected by: bars 38 positioned opposite the inner and outer faces respectively of the adjacent Wheel 2. An air reservoir (not shown) may be carried onthe vehicle body with air conduits leading therefrom throughout usual triple valve (not shown) and piping 43 to the individual cylinders 3|-. Upon operation of the triple valve in the usual manner, air is admitted to the cylinders to operate the brakes. The outward movement of piston 32 in cylinder 3! will move. hanger 26,. andv lever 30 in. opposite directions until shoes 29 and 31 contact the,v wheels and the brakes are set. The thrust of the piston rodis in direct line with the center ofbrake head 28v and the resistance of barsv 3.8 to the outward movements. of brake heads 36 and pistons 3i is carried through the relatively wide levers 30.

With this construction each outside brake head and its operating cylinder and piston unit move up and down with the adjacent journalbox and independently of the spring-induced movement of the frame and bolster. While the inside brake head moves up and down with the frame,.the play between it, and the head. carried thereby, and the wheel does not affect the verticalmovement of the outside brake head and the operating cylinder for the two heads and the disadvantages attending the mounting of substantially the entire brake gear on the frame are avoided. Also the number of parts between the brake cylinderand the brake head is, substantially, re-

duced, and this portionoff the brake gear'mayl be tightened accordingly.

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9illustrate a formof the invention in which the wheels, axles, journal. boxes, equalizers, frame,, etc. correspond. tothat previously described; but, the brake. gear mountingdiffers in having the outside. brake head. M carriedby. a brake lever 45; suspendedifrom. the extension 46 on equalizer 41;.and, in having the brake cylinder 48 provided with a. bracket 49, through which it is suspendedby link. 50. from the outer' end. of extension 48. The. lower. end of lever-45 is' secured'to the piston rod (not shown) and bars are connected at their ends, to brackets 52 on the brake cylinder and to. the, lower end'of a brake lever 53 which carriesthe. inner brake head 54 fromabracket 55 onequal'eizerfl instead of from the truck frame. as indicated in the form previously described;

With this arrangement, both brakes will move with-theequalizer, journal box'and wheel independently of the truck frame 56 and bolster 51v irespective of the action of the springs supporting the-frame and bolster.

Figures -13 illustrate another form of. the

2). The distinctive feature of this arrangement is the formation of the brake cylinder 56 as an integral part of the brake lever 6'! the upper end of which is pivotally secured to the equalizer and the lower end of which is pivotally connected by bars 68 to the lower end of the suspension link 69 for inner brake 55.

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a form of the invention in which the journal boxes 70 support the ends of drop equalizers 1i, and coil springs 12 on the equalizers support the truck frame 13,

having pedestal legs 14 slidably receiving the journal boxes, the frame projecting longitudinally of the truck beyond the wheels and carryingthe links 15'and. brake levers 16 which pivotally suspend a brake actuating unit 11 and the outer brake head'- 18. The inner brake head 19 is suspended bylink which cooperates with a lever 8| to support a brake head actuating unit 82-. The-lower ends of levers 16 and 8| are connected by -bars.83.extendingon opposite sides of the wheelsand. below the; axles.

This arrangement is adapted for use with the ordinary equalizer and pedestal type of truck, and the duplication of the brake head actuating units. provides for a more uniform or even. distributionof the. forces. acting through the various brake and. truck. parts.

Figures 16, 17 and 18. illustrate a form of the vinvention generally similar to that shown in Figures 14 and 1.5 but omitting the right hand power device and the double link. suspension for. the right. hand brake andalso utilizing. the com.- bined lever and cylinder structure embodied.- in .Figure 11. The. right hand brake head is pivotally mounted directly upon lever 91 pivotally suspended from the. truck frame 92.. left hand brake lever 93 also is pivotally suspended from thetruck frame and includes as an integral. part thereof the cylinder 94 provided 60 wards the wheel. as wellasto thrust',brake lll'l.

invention in which the arrangementof. the jourl nalbox 6i), equalizer 6|, truck frame 62,. andbolster 63 corresponds to those scribed, and the brake heads 64 and 65- are sus.- pendedfromthe equalizer as in Figures. 6-9,. (al.-

7 p eviously dethough if desired; the; inside brakehead. could] be suspendedfrom the frame, as shownin Figure with a piston 95' bearing against. the left hand brake, head 9E pivotallysuspended from. the.

frame by. a link 9.7. Barsor rods 98 connect the lower ends. ofilevers 9|v and 93.

Figure 19 illustrates an arrangement of built up. lever I0!) and separately formed cylinder. Ill-l assembled. therewith, but. otherwise the. structure and its operationwouldcorrespond to. that shown inFi'gures .16.. and 1'7.

' Figures-20 and 21' illustrate another arrange.-

ment of the actuating device and lever in which the cylinder ID5- is formed integrally withlever IUBatthe lower end of thelattenandthe brake head I01? is pivoted. directly onv the. lever.. The. openv end of the cylinder. facesoutwardly and.

'the piston I08 therein is thrust to the'leftand acting through cross-head. I09. and. pullrods H0 to. move, the brake, lever. at the opposite side of the wheel. (suchas. shown in: Figure 16) totowards the wheel;

This arrangement further. simplifiesthe, structure by eliminating one. .of the brake hangers.

as shown, at 91 in Figure. 16..

Figure 22" illustrates another form of the. invention in which the brake cylinders are rigid with the brake. heads. H5 which are pivotally suspended'by links I I6 from the, truck frame'HJ. The frame includes depending brackets. I18- opposing the outer ends. of the. plungers N9. of

the brake. operating. devices. Preferably, the brackets are providedwith-hard steel wear plates I20 better adaptedtorresist the thrust of the;

plungers and readily replaceable,- if worn; The

75; provision of anindividual. power device for each The.

brake head, as shown in Figure 22, furthersimplifies the structure as iteliminates the, bottom connections between the brakelevers on opposite sides of thewheel. The'provision of the brake head and cylinder as, a, single unit eliminates the necessity of double hangers for the power unit. ,1 i

In each form of the invention the brake pres.- sure is delivered to the shoes by means of a power unit for the brake heads of ,each wheel, and, in some instances, for each-brakehead.

The unit may comprise a pneumatic cylinder and piston of the plain single acting type which re-. ceives the air pressure from a reservoir located elsewhere on the truck, or on the car body, Or the, unit maybe of the plain double piston type, or each power unit may consist of a com- QII brakeqelements for said wheels and positioned adjacent: to thatwheel and pivotally suspended mounted on saidaxlesa vehicle body-carrying 1.5;

truck fram spring-supported on said equalizer structure, brake-elements at the opposite sides of each wheel, an operating cylinder and piston bined air and hydraulic type as described in the Schleicher and Frede application, Ser, No.

314,432Qfi1ed January 18, 1940, or eachpowerj unit may consist of a hydraulic cylinder and piston operated by hydraulic fluid transmitting pressure from a master cylinder actuating two or more of the power units and carried on the truck equalizer, or truck frame, or on the vehicle body.

Each form of the invention greatly simplifies the brake construction of the entire truck as,

compared with previous brakes which have a series of pull rods and other parts for. transferring the brakepressure from the ,power unit to the brake shoes. Where the brake heads are mounted upon the truck frame, agpartorall of the chatter, due to engagement of the shoe with the tread of the wheel, is transmitted to the truck frame and the car. body.. I

Where the brake heads are mounted upon the equalizers or journal box extensions, they remain in the same position relative tothe wheel center whether or not the wheel moves verticallyrelative to the other truck parts; in other words,

the shoes move vertically with the wheel andnot withthe truck frame. This eliminates any tend-,3

ency to produce a variation in the brake. shoe pressure due to vertical movement of the wheel relative to the brakes.

When the brake shoes are carried by the box or equalizers, no vertical forces, due to the application of the brake pressure to the shoes, are transmitted to the truck frame which would tend to produce any undesirable tilting of the frame or transmission of vibrations through the frame to the car body, and further there would be no tendency of the braking forces, during the application of the brake pressure, to reduce the loading effect of the wheel on the rail which in turn might tend to lift the wheel off the rail as may be possible with some brake arrangements in which the brake shoes are suspended by hangers from the truck frame or otherwise supported by the truck frame.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway truck, spaced wheeled axles, equalizer structure extending between and mounted on said axles, load-carrying parts spring-supported on said equalizer structure, brake elements for said wheels, and power devices for actuating said elements pivotally suspended from said structure.

2. In a railway truck, spaced wheeled axles, equalizer structure extending between and mounted on said axles, load-carrying parts spring-supported on said equalizer structure, brake elements for said wheels, and individual power devices for actuating respectively the a 3 elements to thewheel.

unit atone side of each wheel, members pivotally suspending said unit and brake elements from said structure, the cylinder and piston axis being disposed substantially at right angles to the wheel axis, and a connection between said membersat opposite sides of the wheel whereby operation of said device will apply the brake 5. In a railway truck, spaced-wheeled axles, journal boxes thereon, equalizer structure extending between and mounted on said boxes,

I load supporting parts; springsupported on said ;structure, brake-elements for said wheels, power devices for actuating said brake elements, and memberspivotally suspended from said structure and carrying said devices spaced from said journalboxes.

6. In a railway truck, spaced wheeled axles, journal boxes thereon equalizer structure extending between and ,mounted on said boxes, load supporting parts spring supported on said structure,.brake elements for said wheels, power -devices for actuating said brake elements, and

members pivotally suspended from said structure and carrying said brake elements and said devices.

7. In a railway truck, wheels, axles, journal boxes, equalizers ,extending between journal boxes on the same side of the truck, brake elements forsaid wheels, members pivotally suspended from said equalizers, and power devices carried by, said members and operatively oonnected to said brake elements.

8. Ina railway truck, wheels, axles, journal boxes, equalizers extending between journal boxes on the same sid of the truck, members pivotally suspended from said equalizers, brake elements for said wheels, and power devices operatively connectedto said brake elements, said elements and power devices being carried by said members.

9. In a railway truck, spaced wheeled axles, equalizer structure extending between and mounted on said axles, a vehicle body-carrying truck frame spring-supported on said equalizer structure, members pivotally suspended from said structure and spaced apart longitudinally of the truck at one side of one of said wheels, a brake element for said wheel supported by one of said members, a brake element operating unit including a piston and piston rod supported at the outer end of the rod by one of said members, said unit also including a cylinder receiving said piston and supported at the end opposite said rod by the other one of said members.

10. In a railway truck having wheels, axles, journal boxes, brake elements for said wheels, structure on said journal boxes and projecting rim of the corresponding wheel, load supporting parts spring supported on said structure, mem-- bers pivotally suspended from said structure between the wheel and the end of the truck,

power mechanism for operatingsaid brake elements carried by said members.

11'. In a railway truck having wheels, axles and journal boxes, brake elements for: said wheels, structure on said journal boxes and='pro'- jecting therefrom longitudinally of the truck" from each journal box and beyond the of the corresponding wheel, loadsupporting partsspring supported on said structure, members-piv otally suspended from saidstructure; brake ele-- ment' operating cylinder andpiston carried by said members with their axes disposed Iongitudinally of the truck, and means limiting the movement of said members away from the adjacent wheels.

12. A truck as described in claim 11 in' which members carrying the brake elements and operating units are suspended fromthe structure at both sides of. each wheel, and the means limit-- boxes, a truck frame having pedestals slidably receiving said journal boxes, brake element's'located at opposite sides of one of said wheels, levers pivotally suspended from said frame at opposite sides of said wheel, a bottom connection between the lower ends of said levers and below said elements, and' brakeelement actuating structure carried by said levers.

1-5. In a railway truck, spaced wheeled axles, equalizer structure extending between and" mounted on said axles, a vehicle'bo'dy-carrying truck frame spring-supported on said equalizer therefrom. longitudinally f the truck beyond the structure, brake hangers and brake levers pivotally suspended fromsaid structure, and brake elements and power devices for operating the sameca-rried by said hangers and levers.

16. In a railway truck, spaced wheeled axles, equalizer structure extending between and mounted on said axles, a vehicle body-carrying truckframe spring-supported on said equalizer structure, brake elements at opposite sides of one of said wheels, a power device for actuating said" brake elements, members pivotally suspended from said structure and supporting said brake elements and device, at least one of said members-on each side ofthewheel comprising a brake lever extending downwardly below said brake elements, and connections between the lower portions of said downwardly extending members.

17. In a railway truck, wheels and axles, structure thereon, load supporting parts spring supported on said structure, a brake element at one side of one of said wheels, a member pivotally suspended from said structure and supporting said element, a fluid pressure cylinder adjacent said brake element with its axis disposed longitudinally of the truck and in line with said brake element and wheel, a piston in said cylinder operatively connected to said brake element, a brake element at the other side of said wheel, and a connection between the same and said piston whereby admission of fluid under pressure to said cylinder will actuate both of said brake elements.

18. In a railway truck, wheels and axles, load supporting structure thereon, a brake head for one of said wheels pivotally suspended from said structure, a fluid pressure cylinder carried by said brake head, a piston in said cylinder, and a rigid member on said structure facing toward said wheel and opposing the other end of said piston,

19.'In a railway truck, wheels, axles, structure carried thereby, brake elements for said Wheels, and amember pivotally suspended from said structure and including as a rigid part thereof a power device cylinder, there being, a piston slidable in said cylinder and operative connections between said piston and said brake elements.

CHARLES F. FREDE. 

